fly in the ointment
Something (especially a minor thing) which ruins or spoils everything else, or makes it less pleasant; a nuisance or problem; a disagreeable or unpleasant detail.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The rain was the only fly in the ointment for our picnic.”
“A slow internet connection is the only fly in the ointment at this office.”
“His bad attitude is a fly in the ointment during our team meetings.”
“The hotel was beautiful, but the noisy construction next door was a real fly in the ointment.”
“The new apartment is perfect, but the lack of parking is a fly in the ointment that makes me hesitate to sign the lease.”
“We planned a great party, but the fact that the cake never arrived was a disappointing fly in the ointment for the host.”
“Everything about the merger seemed perfect, yet the sudden discovery of hidden debt proved to be a significant fly in the ointment.”
A reference to Ecclesiastes 10:1 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doeth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
- 01
fly blind
To do by guesswork; to feel one's way.
- 02
fly by
To pass or go past quickly, often without much interaction
- 03
fly by the seat of one's pants
To pilot an aircraft without the aid of instruments and without a flight plan, using only instinct, visual observation, and practical judgment.
- 04
fly in the face of
To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.
- 05
fly low
To have one's fly (zipper) undone.
- 06
fly off
To flee rapidly; to run away.
- 07
fly off at a tangent
To digress from a topic.
- 08
fly off the handle
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
Last updated August 10, 2026